Piles of cash (sort of) burden companies

S&P Dow Indices predict they'll have $1.06T available

6:03 PM,
Feb. 12, 2013

Written by

Matt Krantz
| USA Today

Companies have a problem many people would envy: They can't get rid of cash fast enough.

After a fourth year of higher profit, companies' piles of cash are approaching yet another all-time high. They're on pace to have $1.06 trillion in cash, based on estimates from S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Cash is piling up despite companies' efforts to dispense it by buying back stock, increasing dividends, and investing in capital and equipment. However, they're not being as aggressive as they can afford to be. ...